Casey Powell, Disney Extend Partnership for Spring Training

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – High School and collegiate lacrosse teams training at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will continue to tap into the expertise of one of the most recognized names in lacrosse as a result of a longer-term agreement with lacrosse superstar Casey Powell.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and Powell have extended their partnership that began last year, making the sports complex at Walt Disney World the official spring training home of Casey Powell Lacrosse for the next several years. Powell is this year’s World Indoor Lacrosse Championships MVP and one of the all-time greats in the Major Lacrosse League and National Lacrosse League. All teams participating in the Disney Lacrosse Spring Training program at the sports complex will receive a one-hour session with Casey Powell Lacrosse trainers.

“It is an incredible feeling to know I have the opportunity to make a difference in the careers of young lacrosse players,” said Powell. “I can’t think of a better place to help them reach their potential than Disney, the place where dreams come true.”

“It will be an extraordinary benefit for the young athletes in our Disney Sports Lacrosse Spring Training program to continue to be exposed to someone of Casey Powell’s stature,’’ said Disney Sports Development Manager Jeff Sturgeon. “This will be a one-of-a-kind experience that will provide these athletes and teams with the kind of world-class training, insight, knowledge and inspiration that they likely can’t get anywhere else.’’

The overall Disney Sports spring training program at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex encompasses more than 700 high school and collegiate teams and 13,000 athletes nationwide in five different sports (baseball, softball, lacrosse, golf and track & field) from February through April. Specifically, the lacrosse program, which has been in place for the past 11 years, attracts more than 150 teams each spring.

The lacrosse spring training program is just one of several lacrosse offerings at the sports complex. In addition, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex hosts two youth lacrosse events during the ESPN RISE Games - the Champion High School Showcase, a US Lacrosse Event, which is the "National All-Star Game" of high school lacrosse, and the US Lacrosse U15 National Championship, a US Lacrosse Youth Council event that involves 64 boys and girls teams. Also, the Champion Challenge, a US Lacrosse event featuring the US National team program and top collegiate and international teams, returned for its seventh year in January.

To register and learn more about the Disney Sports Spring Training Lacrosse program visit disneylacrosse.com.

About ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which hosts more than 300 events a year, is the leading multi-sport venue for amateur and professional sports in the United States, accommodating 60 different sports and athletes from more than 70 countries. Designed to take youth sports to the next level, the 220-acre facility features: The Fieldhouse, a 165,000-square-foot field house which seats 5,500 for basketball; Champion Stadium ballpark (cap. 11,500); Hess Sports Fields, which include multiple baseball, softball and soccer fields; Jostens Center, an 80,000-square-foot multi-sport fieldhouse; and the Innovation Lab, a real-world testing ground for the ESPN Emerging Technology group to develop ground-breaking on-air products like Ball Track and ESPN Snap Zoom. In addition, the complex features 56 high-definition cameras (42 robotic, 10 handheld and four studio) and 40 high-definition video screens, including three jumbo screens, that can capture and display footage from any event taking place at the complex. The camera and video screens, as well as a 20-zone audio system, are controlled through the state-of-the-art Production Center that features eight edit bays and links to ESPN facilities in Bristol, Conn., New York and Los Angeles. For more information, visit wdwnews.com for releases, photos and videos. Follow us on Twitter at @DisneySports.

About Casey Powell
Casey Powell, a lacrosse legend, is the star player for the Boston Blazers of the National Lacrosse League where he is a seven-time All-Star. In the Major Lacrosse League, he is a four-time All-Star and the league’s all-time leading scorer. He also is the current World Indoor Lacrosse Championships MVP. As an amateur, he was a four-time All-American at Syracuse University, a two-time National Player of the Year and a member of the US National Team. For more information on Casey Powell Lacrosse visit www.caseypowelllacrosse.com.